No More Waiting
by DeBo81
Summary: In Always, Rick and Kate move forward hand in hand. Where will they go from there?


**Hello all! How is your summer hiatus going? Mine is great but I keep asking..."Is it September yet?"**

**Anyway tonight I read a brief and spoilery article about the season 5 premier, which inspired this one shot. Originally I wrote it for Teelduo and CastleKat who were fangirling with me, but they encouraged me to post so... here it is.**

**I'm going to put SPOILER WARNING here, just to be safe. Although basically its more like a theory on how the finale could have continued. But I don't want to accidentally ruin anything for anyone SPREE, so read at your own risk.**

**Also to be safe I'm calling this M, when in reality its more like "Almost M". ****Better to be safe than sorry though... am I right?**

**Ok, so I'm done here, cuz if I keep talking the A/N will be longer than the story!**

**Have a great day and see you again with another (separate) fic soon!**

"No More Waiting"

DeBo81

Kate's lips and skin tingled every place Rick kissed her, every place his fingers touched. Her head swirled, intoxicated on a natural high of endorphins and emotions.

She knew when she went to his place where it might lead, where she hoped it would lead if he didn't just shut her out. But now as they walked hand in hand toward the bed, it almost became too much. She hovered somewhere between surreal euphoria and intense, overwhelming reality.

Rick's blue eyes were so dark and enriched that they appeared almost navy. The rapid pulse throbbing in his neck a mirror to her own.

The pulse point called to her until she pressed her lips against his warm stubbled skin. When she ran her tongue against it, he sucked in a ragged breath. It satisfied her to know he was as affected as she was.

Somewhere in the back of her head she registered two facts. One, somewhere along the way he'd finished removing her top. And two, somehow despite wearing less clothing, the room had become about ten degrees warmer.

Urgency built within her. The excited fluttering in her belly melted into a fiery pool of desire. For years she's cared about Rick, wanted Rick, even lusted after him. But tonight she needed him in every way one person could need another.

Her fingers flew over Rick's hard chest, nimbly sliding each button from the fabric holding it in place. As she pushed his shirt back off his shoulders, Rick bent to trail hot kisses from her earlobe, down her neck, across her collar and down her sternum. He was exploring her, claiming her, branding her as his own, and she wanted nothing more than to be his and him to be hers.

Rick's hands ran down the length of her sides, over her hips and back around to grab her ass. He cupped her, squeezed her and then lifted her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist.

He groaned as soon as they made contact, but she never heard him over her own sigh. Even through their remaining garments she knew that she would not be disappointed with anything he had to give.

Kate's pulse raced even faster. Her head spun like she was drunk and then she was falling backwards. But before she could register the fall, Rick's body landed on top of her.

One of his hands held her at the small of her back, pressing her body to him while his other hand worked its way between them, fumbling with the button on her pants.

"Is this really happening?" Rick mumbled in her ear.

Kate could only nod.

"I never thought... I mean I hoped. I've just waited so long."

"No more waiting." Kate said between kisses as her lips blazed trails against his chest.

"God Kate, I lo..." Rick didn't finish his sentence, but slid down her body to pepper kisses down her belly.

Kate froze. He didn't say _it_. Even though they both knew it, he wouldn't say the words. He was afraid.

Kate placed both hands on Rick's cheeks, slowing him but not stopping his descent.

"Castle." Kate called softly.

He paused, but then kissed her abdomen just above her pants.

"Rick." she whispered.

He stopped. Then slowly, cautiously, he raised his eyes to her. In that instant she saw everything, his hopes, his dreams, his fears.

"Rick. I love you too."

All remaining words were said in a brief heated look before he stretched back over her, meeting her lips with his own. Tonight they would not be hooking up or having sex. Tonight they would be making love, they would take their first step forward as one.

Rick wrapped his strong arms around her thin frame, pulling her to him as tightly as possible. "Tell me again," he pleaded.

"I love you." Even saying it the second time, it was refreshingly freeing.

"I love you too Kate. I love you so much."

The coming minutes and hours were lost in a heavenly blur as they became one in heart, mind and flesh. Eventually they did fall asleep, but even then, they clung to each other, almost desperately, as if they were afraid that if they let go of the other, they'd lose everything they'd finally found.


End file.
